CAPTAIN HALL-THOMPSON

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2208, 22 July 1914, Page 8

CAPTAIN HALL-THOMPSON

WELCOMED AT THE NEW ZEALAND CLUB. ASPIRATIONS AND IDEALS. Captain P H. Hall-Thompson, the new naval adviser to the Government, and wlio has hoisted his flag on H.M.S. : ,™' was given a cordial welcome to Wellington by the New Zealand Club at luncheon yesterday. . Mr. F. Pope (president) occupied tho chair, having on either hand General Sir Alexander Godley, Commandant of the Military Forces, and the Minister of Defenco (Hon. James Allen). Among the "uests were Mr. A. Myers, M.P., and a representative gathering of citizens. Replying to the welcome accordcd to him, Captain Hall-Thompson said, by way of preface, that a naval officer as a rule could not make a speech. He could talk to his ship's company from the quarter-deck, and tell them what lib thought of them, which was a vory different matter. In coming out to New Zealand ho recognised tho big responsibility he was undertaking in assisting the Government in carrying out what-' ever scheme was required. They were shortly going to_ start recruiting. From inquiries made in Australia and New Zealand, nothing but good reports had como in as to colonials in tho service. He believed that a kindred spirit existed between men bred in the open places and in touch with the primitive forces of Nature. For instance, the men of the Highland regiments and tho Navy always agreed remarkably well. For that reason he believed that the Navy would appeal to the people of the colony, and that the New Zealander would like the service and be a success. Only the other day ho was informed by the'eaptain of the Pyramus (the training ship in theso waters) that he had never had a hotter ship's company. Men trained for tho Navy were good for the country. It gavo thorn a sense of discipline, and showed them tho value of working together and not against each other.

Ouf Naval Polioy. The Hon. Jas. Allen, of Defence, in returning thanks to Captain Hall-Thompson, said how glad he was to wolcomo so competent a gentleman, one who knew his work thoroughly, and would do it thoroughly. He hid' doiio very well as a speaker, and would beat Captain Halscy before he was through. (Laughter.) Captain Hall-Thompson had not merely come as a naval officer— lie had come as an inspiration from tho Empire to strengthen them in doing their share ill. the matter of Imperial naval defence. v Ho did not think that Now Zealanders were making tho sacrifices they ought to make. Now was the opportunity'to offer men—trained men — to the Empire, to be used wherever they wero required in the time of need. That was to his mind tho statesmanlike British and Imperial manner of setting to work. Tho men's service n-is not. to be confined to New Zealand. The Admiralty had met them. most generously on that point. The whole Imperial Navy was to be open to them. That was one of the great ideals of Imperialism—not merely to train men, but to train them_ as a contribution to the great Imperial Navy. (Applause.) That was why they had secured the services of Captain Hall-Thompson, whose advice would be, sought on these serious questions. Mr. Allen's idea was that New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and. the Mother Country should-meet, and have a-talk over our naval requirements in order to got back what wo had —the command of all the seas. He knew of no sounder.way of.working it out tharr tho way they were beginning ni New Zealand, by . training our own personnel. (Applause.)

Conference of Dominions. ; - • Mr. Arthur Myers, M.P.,of Auckland; said ho liked to be associated'with Mr. Allen in this all-important question of navai defence. They, all paid insurancoon their houses; surely it was woith while to pay an insurance premium on their hearths and homes! They wanted to put their thinking-caps on, and seo what was best to be done in the interests of New Zealand and tho Empiio. They should-consider .what value the protection of the British Admiralty had been in tho : past—in' the process of development up to the present stage. Another epoch had now Hrisen lii the bistorv of tho Empire, and another course of action had to be taken. •It was recognised'now, that only in the North Sea and the Mediterranean did England hold command; What lino of action, then, were wo to take? He believed with Mr. Allen that a conference of sistor State's should bo called, to bo bold at Ottawa or Vancouver, to discuss'seriously the naval situation. Later conferences could bo hold in Australia, South; Africa, and ultimately perhaps in New Zealand. He had recently come from tho heart of the Empire, and had discussed there the question of the defence "of the Pacific, and it was considered there that the line of defence, suggested by Mr. Allen—i.e., training men for the defence of the Empire, was the best thing to be done. He was pleased to havoread when at Home that tho Royal Yacht Club of Auckland" tiad offered to fozm themselves into the nucleus' of a naval reserve—that bore out what Captain Hall-Thompson' had said about tho men; being keen on the service. He hoped that the same success would attend Captain Hall-Thompson in the Navy project as the worthy' General (Sir Alexander Godley) had attained in respect to land defences;